bistro il riccio
A small light-food service born inside the Politecnico di Milano student community. Recipes, pricing, booking, and feedback were tested directly with the people who would use the service.
The project brings together food design, visual identity, and service-led research: a simple meal becomes a way to observe energy, focus, and university life.
What shape does a lunch service take when it is designed around the mental rhythm of students?
Context
Bistro il Riccio was created as an alternative to heavy, expensive, or nutritionally weak university meals. It is not only a food offer: it is a service, community, and identity experiment tested with real people.
How it was built
- 01
Definition of an accessible, vegetarian offer designed around studying.
- 02
Tests on recipes, portions, price, containers, booking, and communication.
- 03
Creation of a WhatsApp community and collection of feedback after meals.
- 04
Development of a visual identity that stays simple without becoming childish.
What came out
- Meal service prototype
- WhatsApp community
- Booking flow
- Feedback questionnaire
- Visual identity
- Menu and recipe archive
- Website concept
The project uses service as research. Every lunch also produces information: satiety, focus, perceived price, willingness to return, and the possibility of community.